Newark museum opens exhibit honoring historic aviator

NEWARK, Ohio (AP) — The first woman to fly solo around the world is being honored in a new exhibit at a museum in her Ohio hometown.

The Columbus Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/28JJSA0 ) the exhibit memorializing Jerrie Mock opened recently at The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art and Technology in Newark.

Mock, a mother of three, took off from Port Columbus on March 19, 1964, and returned just short of a month later after flying 22,860 miles around the globe.

Organizers hope the exhibit on Mock’s accomplishment will inspire young women.

“We think it’s really important to support women, especially middle school and high school women, really in STEM careers — aviation, engineering, math-related — because girls are told they’re not going to do that,” said Marcia Downes, managing director at The Works. “It’s really important to honor the very first woman who ever flew solo around the world.”

The exhibit includes a replica of her plane, the Spirit of Columbus. Artifacts from Mock’s trip on display include her flight log and the credit card that she used to pay for fuel.

Janice LoRaso, assistant director at The Works, said the museum will continue to accept donations to add to the exhibit.